This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Wednesday's 10-game slate will provide plenty of DFS action for a wide array of FanDuel contests. Let's begin by looking at the slate, the Vegas numbers, and the games we should be focusing on.
Slate Overview
Cleveland Cavaliers (-6.5) vs. Orlando Magic (O/U: 214.5 points)
Atlanta Hawks (-7) @ Detroit Pistons (O/U: 230.5 points)
Philadelphia 76ers (-1.5) @ Toronto Raptors (O/U: 211.5 points)
New York Knicks (-7.5) vs. Charlotte Hornets (O/U: 226 points)
Milwaukee Bucks (-3.5) vs. Brooklyn Nets (O/U: 232 points)
Chicago Bulls (-7.5) vs. Indiana Pacers (O/U: 232 points)
Minnesota Timberwolves (-9) vs. San Antonio Spurs (O/U: 233 points)
Utah Jazz (-7) vs. Houston Rockets (O/U: 233 points)
Denver Nuggets (-5.5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (O/U: 229.5 points)
The marquee event is the Nets/Bucks game, and we've picked some plum spots in that pool of players. Plays from the 76ers, Lakers and Nuggets are largely absent, but we made some calls in the HOU/UTA game worth considering. I only mentioned a couple of Knicks, but be on the lookout for additional Knicks value against the short-handed Hornets.
Injuries to Monitor
CLE - Darius Garland (eye) - OUT
With Garland sidelined, Caris LeVert ($5,900) is a low-cost option set to have an enhanced role.
TOR - Scottie Barnes (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
If Barnes is a scratch, there isn't a specific pivot I'm fond of, so a bump for the remaining starters is the most prudent call.
CHA - Terry Rozier (ankle) - DOUBTFUL
Luckily for the Hornets, they have a lot of capable playmakers that have already had to step up due to LaMelo Ball's extended absence. We should see more James Bouknight ($3,600) in the backcourt Wednesday evening.
IND - Myles Turner (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
If Turner remains out, Goga Bitadze ($4,500) will remain a solid pivot.
SAS - Devin Vassell (knee) - DOUBTFUL
Look for Josh Richardson ($4,500) to up his production in Vassell's absence.
HOU - Alperen Sengun (illness) - OUT
Although his salary could be a little lower, Jabari Smith ($6,300) is a solid temporary fix in Sengun's absence.
LAL - Russell Westbrook (hamstring) - DOUBTFUL
We should see a lot of Patrick Beverley ($4,900) and Kendrick Nunn ($3,900), assuming Westbrook is sidelined.
Elite Players
The 10-game slate is littered with top-tier talent, but DFS players can't click on all of them. Of the group at the top, I think Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600) and Nikola Jokic ($11,000) are well worth their salaries. LeBron James and Anthony Davis sit at inflated salaries, and I'm not encouraged by the low O/U ahead for Joel Embiid and James Harden. Due to the marquee matchup, this is a night where I will finally give some coverage to Kevin Durant ($9,900) and Kyrie Irving ($8,800), though I won't give them heavy exposure.
Moving down, Trae Young ($8,700) is at an excellent salary against Detroit and is my favorite elite guard of the evening. He's surrounded by a lot of strong talent, but as mentioned earlier, not all of the elite players can be rostered.
Expected Chalk and Other Targets
Jrue Holiday, MIL ($7,800) vs. BKN
Holiday should rise to the occasion and post a solid total against the Nets. After an ugly start to the season, he bounced back with a 10-assist double-double against the Rockets. His shot volume and accuracy will almost certainly continue to trend up after the horrific first game, and the team will be highly motivated to have a good showing against one of the teams projected to be among the best in the conference.
Cade Cunningham, DET ($7,500) vs. ATL
Cunningham will be the key to keeping Detroit competitive in this game. He's enjoyed a productive beginning of the season so far, but his stat lines veer in a direction where we can only depend on him for scoring. A few extra rebounds and assists would help this endorsement immensely. He had 10 rebounds in the regular-season opener, so hopefully, he can replicate that production, or at least come close.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($7,400) vs. SAN
As I've said in practically every column this season, I will continue to endorse Edwards until his salary becomes untenable, and we're nowhere near that point yet. Granted, his first game against the Spurs lacked what we needed from him as a shooter. Still, the Timberwolves are turning right around and facing the Spurs right away in Minnesota, and I expect improvement from him, with a double-double being a strong possibility.
Jusuf Nurkic, POR ($7,000) vs. MIA
Bam Adebayo is at an identical salary on the other side of this matchup, and the Heat are flying across the country to meet a Portland team that is much better than their record might indicate. Nurkic has fared well against Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, Deandre Ayton and Domantas Sabonis, so I see no reason why he can't excel here. Adebayo's numbers have been tepid to begin the season anyway, so I expect Nurkic to be the clear winner in the paint.
Tyler Herro, MIA ($7,000) @ POR
I'm not sure what's changed in Herro over the past couple of games, but it's hard to ignore his 22/16 against Toronto two days ago. I endorsed Jimmy Butler in that game, and although Butler led the way, Herro came out of nowhere with a huge number. It will be interesting to see how he fares against Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons, but he can slash into the lane as well as anyone, and he should perform well off the ball.
Also consider: Evan Mobley, CLE ($6,400) vs. ORL; Jalen Green, HOU ($6,600) @ UTA
Value Plays
As always, refer back to the injury section for some excellent budget pivots. I especially like Kendrick Nunn out of that group.
Jarred Vanderbilt, UTA ($6,100) vs. HOU
Although the tide may turn soon for Vanderbilt, he's performing well in the Jazz frontcourt, which is a work in progress after the departure of Rudy Gobert. Udoka Azubuike factors into Utah's plans, but it may eventually affect Kelly Olynyk more. He has some competition on the depth chart, but at least for now, he's a very fantasy-relevant player.
RJ Barrett, NYK ($5,900) vs. CHA
Caris LeVert is at the same price, and I like them both quite a bit in exploitable spots. Barrett will lineup against Charlotte, who will be without Ball and Rozier. The inexperience in the backcourt may give Barrett increased looks and an ability to get past defenders. Barrett's season is going well so far, with double-digit scoring and decent secondary numbers.
Jeremy Sochan, SAS ($4,300) @ MIN
This is a guess more than anything else, but with Devin Vassell out, we may see more of what Sochan has to offer the Spurs. The absence will probably help the rookie's usage, and although he has strong defensive intangibles, more time on the floor could result in scoring that has a better fantasy impact.
Let's conclude with a few other players that slipped through the cracks but are worth mentioning.
SF Chris Duarte, IND ($4,300) @ CHI
SG/SF Max Strus, MIA ($4,600) @ POR
PF Jerami Grant, POR ($5,800) vs. MIA
C Mitchell Robinson, NYK ($5,200) vs. CHA
